Final Auction Price
*Final prices include buyers premium
$7,200.00
Starting bid: $1.00
This is an Original PRINT PLATE of FD-12 The Quick & The Dead Grateful Dead at the Avalon Ballroom (reverse of the plate has a unrecognizable image) used and owned by FRANK WESTLAKE the owner of the Bindweed Press!
Noted concert poster historian Eric King author of The Guide to Psychedelic of Rock Concert Posters Postcards and Handbills 1965-1973 has this to say about this highly important lot:
"The vast majority of the printing plates used to print bill graham presents and the family dog presents posters are in the hands of either a company which holds the copyrights or a museum/archive which holds them as part of their core artistic holdings. It is extremely unlikely that any of these printing plates ever will come on the open market within the lifetime of current collectors even younger ones.
Because most of these posters involve several colors each poster involves several printing plates one for each color the printing plates themselves are not material which easily can be framed and displayed on a dining room wall even if you were able to acquire them.
Then there is this unique printing plate for FD-12. FD-12 was a one color poster so there is only one printing plate and that one printing plate is identical to the poster. This printing plate is beautiful in its own right and on top of that it is the printing plate for an historically very important poster the quick and the dead which is the very first poster which uses a skeleton as the symbol for the grateful dead.
How do you know this printing plate is the genuine original printing plate for FD-12? The provenance is perfection itself. It comes straight from the estate of the late Frank Westlake the owner of the Bindweed Press who printed this poster.
Do you own a complete set of these posters? So do several dozen other collectors. Do you want something that will make your collection stand out from the others? this printing plate is it. Do you collect only a small number of unique items? Only the very best? This is a unique item the very best.
There are disputes over the rightful possession of some unique items but there can be no future dispute over the rightful possession of this printing plate. Frank Westlake was the printer. He was the lawful owner of this printing plate and now you can own it frame it and hang it on your dining room wall as the trophy piece of your collection. All you have to do is outbid all the other collectors who will be out to own this item which certainly is one of the treasures of the entire 1960’s era."
The original FD-12 poster has been sold by us for over $20 000 in Museum Quality condition. Certainly this unique printing plate with unimpeachable provenance and historical importance is worthy of a World Class valuation as well.
Size: 17.88” x 20.63”
Condition Details - 100% Original with no restoration. View the detailed high res photo of this lot. Click on the thumbnail photo to see an enlarged photo. Click a second time on the magnifying glass in the upper right corner of the enlarged photo. A super high res image with every millimeter will now be clearly displayed. For a personalized eyewitness examination call 410-464-6180 11:00 am to 6:00pm eastern.
*****This plate is available for inspection at our gallery by appointment. *****
*A 20% Buyers Premium will be added to the final hammer price of this lot.*
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